The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-04-23
JOSEPH AND HIS FATHER.
CRITICAL AND PRACTICAL NOTES BY
PROF. SAMUEL |. CURTlSS.
I,es>on " of the international Series,
second Quarter, for sunday. April -.
Text of the Lesson. Genesis Xvii, liz.
Golden Text, Ephrsians VI, z.

patriarch the women and the children. At
first Jacob could not believe the news that his
son was alive and ruler OF the land OF the
Pharaohs (y. 9G,. 1t doubtless seemed 10 him
like fairy tale. But when he saw the wagons
he could doubt no longer, and took hi, jour.
ney to Egypt Gen. xiv, p; XVI, u,
He probably took the usual road, along the
| shore of the Mediterranean. Joseph went To
| Goshen that no might welcome his father
almost at the boundary of the country and
that he might prepare him for his interview
with the king VS. 203+l. This was necessary
because JoScph's father and brethren be-
lonsed to the deSpiSed class of shepherds, who
were regarded as following disgraceful
employment. Although the Pharaoh 10
whom they were to be introduced belonged
to dynasty which had sprung from shep-
| herds, and therefore would naturally receive
| Jacob with more favor than one of the native
Egyptian kings, yet even this shepherd
| dynasty during the 100 or 800 years of their
power must have become pretty well Egypt
ianiAed
THE LESSON.
Josephs Nobility Us. In. 1t was, then, a
mari; of a noble spirit not only that Joseph
should be ready to have these brethren come
of their coming and should present them in
| person, especially rs we see from the monu-
ments that the shepherds were the objects OF
| ridirule and Caricature. He did not attempt
| to conceal from the king what their occupa-
| ton was, but tells him plainly that their
ilocls and their herds have come with them
| He takes five of them and presents them to
the king When the king asks them what
| their occupation is they answer, as Joseph
had instructed them, THY servants are
| shepherds, both we and our fathers" This
| frank confession Is in striking contrast with
! the deception which in earlier years was prac-
| ticed by his father, his uncle and his brethren
We may, therefore, praise Joseph not only
for his chastity under temptation, but also
| for exact truthfumeSs when he would surely
be compromised by the clear evidence of his
gnoble origin, rs seen in the occupation Of
bis brethren.
Goshen w. A.-Their request that they
might dwell in the land of Goshen, which
was situated in the Tanitic nome of the
delta, between the Sebennytc and PeluSiac
branches of the Nile. was very suitable one
for this country was especially adapted for
grazing. Here the cattle of Pharaoh were
doubtless pastured. They would thus he
among shepherds and kindred Semites, far
away from the Egyptian population. who
would be offended by their presence and con-
veniently near the Egyptian boundary and
the high road to the land which had been
promised their fathers.
VS.. 5, 6. With Oriental hospitality Pha-
raoh offers Joseph the best of the land us
their dwelling place. but specifies Goshen III
accordance with their request; and since
they must be shepherds he raises among them
such as may be competent to the rank Of
royal shepherds, by directing Joseph to
choose men from his brethren to superintend
the care of his cattle.
Joseph and Pharaoh Tvs. 7-10.-Joseph
reserves the interview of his father with Pha-
roah until after his brethren have left.
Jacobs bearing in the presence of the Egyp-
tian monarch is worthy of the heir of the
great promises made TO Abraham and of the
progenitor Of tho people of redemption and
of the Messiah. He seeks no favors. but con-
fers favor in the blessing which lie pro-
nounces on Pharaoh.
The king asks him how old he is. The vener-
able man replies that the days Of his pilgrim
age C,ojourningS, Revised Version, margin)
have been 1870 years His answer indicates
three things: IL That he has been wanderer
He has not had any settled home His father
and grandfather dwet III tents in land
where they owned no property except grave
iActs VIII. d compare Gen. xiii, II 2O.
twenty years he had spent with I.aban in
EIarau Gen. XXI 3S), and now he had come
TO spend his declining years in Egypt. He
could not call any country his own. t2)
His days in retrospect seemed few when COM
pared with those of Terah and Abraham
Gen. ri, 81; XIV, s.. 81 The days had
been evil. Through his own fault he had led
u troubled life when he might have had II
happy one. Ever since the hour when he de-
ceived his father (tien. xxi, 1929. one bitter
experience after another had befallen him
Hard work and exposure when in the service
Of his Uncle Laban; disappointment regard
ing the choice of his heart: pickering arising
from polvgamous relation not contracted
through his own fault; the disgraceful con-
duet of his children; the death of Rachel the
loss of Joseph and the very trying exper-
fences during the years of famine had been
his lot. Jacob had enjoyed but little, owing
to the bad start which he made at the begin
hing.
VS.. 1912. But Jacob had a spiritual ex-
pcfience He had known the power of prayer
in the time of trouble Gen xxi, 22-30; Hos.
xii, A.. Thus the blessing which he could
speak when he first saw Pharaoh and when
he parted with him was of value.
Josephs Kindness -Joseph's subsequent
conduct III relation to his father and brethren
is worthy of all praise. He did all in his
power to make them happy. There was evil
IDENTIFY no effort on his part to cause his
brethren pain because of their cruel treatment
of him years before. But they must have de
spised themselves when they thought of the
past and of his present kindness to them, !
which was like Goals of fire on their heads
Rom xii, 2N. He placed them in the best Of
the lsnd, the land of Rameses, and nourished
them according to the number OF their little .
ones Revised Version; or, Hebrew, according
to the mouth of the little oneS). While the |
little children of the Egyptians might have
ali insufficient supply, the children of Joseph's
brethren had an abundance
POINTS TO BE REMEMBERED. |
l. As Joseph was not ashamed to acknowl- |
edge his brethren, although they followed an |
occupation which was the butt of ridicule |
among the Egyptians, so We should never be !
ashamed to DO right.
4